Letters to the editor, July 23

San Francisco Chronicle

July 22, 2015

Photo: Eric Risberg, Associated Press

FILE - In this Tuesday, Aug. 7, 2007, file photo, San Francisco Giants Barry Bonds celebrates after his 756th career home run in the fifth inning of a baseball game against the Washington Nationals in San Francisco. The U.S. Department of Justice formally dropped its criminal prosecution of Barry Bonds, Major League Baseball's career home run leader. The decade-long investigation and prosecution of Bonds for obstruction of justice ended quietly Tuesday morning, July 21, 2015, when the DOJ said it would not challenge the reversal of his felony conviction to the U.S. Supreme Court. (AP Photo/Eric Risberg, File)

FILE - In this Tuesday, Aug. 7, 2007, file photo, San Francisco...

Regarding “Drones add hazard for firefighters” (July 22): One possible solution would be to allow, no, encourage officials at the scene to conduct target practice, either by pistol or shotgun. The day it becomes common knowledge among drone pilots that their expensive craft are subject to being shot out of the sky, they might think twice. The rule should be: If drones interfere through flight, shoot the critters on sight!

Kenneth Jones, Berkeley

Disturbing footage

I have been very disturbed by the Sandra Bland arrest video, and it kept me from falling asleep for a few hours last night. I saw the first bit of footage from someone’s cell phone a few days ago, and then dash-cam footage. This whole situation didn’t need to happen. From the dash-cam footage, it looks to me as if the police officer was somewhat rapidly approaching a car whose driver decided to move over (as you would usually do when a police car comes up behind you rapidly).

Not signaling a lane change here hardly merits being pulled over. Really, this is what you’re going to spend your time doing? So great, pull her over and run her identification. When nothing wrong shows up, how about letting her on her way? Who cares if she’s smoking in her car? When asked, she clearly explains why she’s frustrated, in fact fairly calmly, and very clearly. Then the escalation from there is all on the officer. How would you react to an officer/anyone treating you like this?

Laird Archer, San Francisco

Uber driver city

As I ride my motor scooter around the Financial District and SoMa each day, I can easily look into the cars around me, and I see many, many what I call “app” drivers. The streets seem to be filled with them, and they drive very aggressively and sometimes rudely to pick up customers.

While I appreciate that these Uber and other drivers can make good money and they serve a purpose, they are also clogging the streets and probably luring people off public transportation. Not to mention they are unfair competition to highly regulated taxis also trying to make a living. Frankly, I am of two minds about this situation, but perhaps there needs to be some limits and regulations on these companies. They have built sizable companies so quickly, they can now afford lots of lawyers, but might does not make right.

Bill Schwartz, San Francisco

Don’t raise fees

Regarding “Housing boom fee could boost Muni” (July 22): Raise the condo fees for transit? That raises the price of the condo, and due to that, it also raises the taxes, which the buyer will pay forever. That is not the way to address the high cost of housing in San Francisco. Think the process through.

Stuart Posselt, Concord

No real winners

Regarding “Legal marathon ends with quiet win for Bonds” (July 22): Now that the dismissal of obstruction of justice charges against former Giants slugger Barry Bonds has been upheld by the U.S. Department of Justice, will he still be perceived as guilty (of using performance-enhancing drugs) in the court of public opinion?

During his grand jury testimony, Bonds strained the credulity of some observers when he explained that the reason he didn’t question what substances he was being given by his personal trainer was because he “was a celebrity child ... with a famous father” and “I just don’t get into other people’s business because of my father’s situation, see.” Could an elite and gifted athlete like Bonds have really been so naive? And why was he not more forthcoming about his activities with team officials? Whatever one’s opinion may be, our federal government used millions of taxpayer dollars to prosecute a case that, in the end, really had no winners.

Julian Grant, Pacifica

Public safety

Taking steps to better protect public safety and prevent loss of life such as occurred in the tragic balcony collapse in Berkeley last month is something that everyone should be concerned about and a goal that builders strongly support. As is often the case in gut-wrenching situations like this, emotion is a powerful force and unless channeled in a positive way, can result in well-meaning but impulsive decisions that do not actually solve the problem. SB465 is one such example.

This legislation requires the disclosure of settlements and arbitration awards to the Contractors State License Board but does nothing to decrease the likelihood that such an accident could happen in the future. As drafted, SB465 gives the appearance that you are improving public safety, but in reality it would allow those contractors that are actually at fault for construction defects to remain undisclosed and to continue to work on other projects.

For years, builders have suggested that legislators strengthen the notice and inspection requirements to allow for a prompt repair of identified problems. Despite our suggestions, the influence of the powerful trial lawyers prevailed. From their perspective, litigation is financially preferable to prompt inspection and actually fixing the problem. It’s incomprehensible that anyone would advocate or support a measure that would lead to more harm than good. That is why a bipartisan group of legislators stood up against SB465, because as written, it fails to hold bad actors accountable and does not enact real reform to prevent future tragedies.

It is wrong for The Chronicle and others to criticize thoughtful legislators for being deliberative and responsible in calling for a legislative solution that would actually protect public safety. Protecting an existing system that discourages timely remedies in favor of one that jeopardizes safety, incentivizes lawsuits and fills the pockets of trial attorneys is unfortunately the approach that SB465 takes.

Bob Glover, executive officer of the Building Industry Association of the Bay Area, Walnut Creek